Centre to provide all assistance to protect every inch of country: Antony

New Delhi, July 26 (ANI): Defence Minister A. K. Antony on Monday said the central government would provide all assistance to the armed forces to protect every inch of the country.

Stating that there was possibility of recent U.S. military aid to Pakistan being used against India, Antony said: “We feel that there is every possibility of diverting this sophisticated equipment against India.”

Talking to reporters after laying a wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti to mark the 11th anniversary of the Kargil war, Antony said India has conveyed to the US its concern over the misuse of American arms aid by Pakistan.

Earlier, during his meeting with the US Joint Chief of Staff Committee Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen here, Antony suggested that America needs to set up a monitoring mechanism to ensure that the arms it’s giving to Pakistan to combat terrorism is not diverted and used against India.

Antony also expressed his apprehensions that American arms aid was disproportionate to the war on terror for which it was meant.

US military supplies to Pakistan in 2010 were expected to be over the 300 million dollars that they have grossed annually.

Among the supplies are F-16 Fighting Falcon combat aircraft. Most of the hardware that the US is supplying to Pakistan is classified but the list is known to include Harpoon missiles, heavy artillery guns and helicopter gunships. (ANI)